Protecting device



Se t, 16, 1924. 1,508,700 t c.v F. KETTERING PROTECTING DEVICE Filed marchfze 1917 I 555E AMWMQ ream d Sept. 1c, 1924'.

= STATES PAT NT- OFFIGE. I

CHARLES E. KETTERING, OF DAYTON, OHIO,-ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

DELCO-LIGHT- COMPANY, O'F DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Application filed March 26, 1917. Serial 1%. 157,442.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. KETTER- ING, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and Statev of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protecting Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in guards for the moving elements of machines of various types.

One of the objects of'the present invention is to provide a guard for the moving elements of machinery which will eflectually prevent the moving pafts of the machine from causing injury to the attendants or operators of the machine, without interfer ing with the functioning of these parts in any way. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gua'rd particularly adapted to be combined with a moving element of a machine, such as a flywheel of an engine, which is so constructed as to function as a fan, this guard being so combined with the flywheel that it will 'prevent injury and at the same time will tend to assist the functioning of the flywheel as a fan. 7

Further objects and. advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had, to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of one embodiment, of the present invention is clearly illustrated.

, In the drawing:-

Fig, 1 is a View in side elevation of one form of the present invention, certain of the elements included in the'present inven tion being shown in'section for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the guard removed from the flywheel, a portion of said guard being shown insection to more clearly illustrate the construction therec'zf.

Referring to the drawing, and'more particularlyto Fig. 1 thereof, it will be noted that the present invention is shown combined with a power unit including a gas engine and dynamo-electric-machine, such as is described, illustrated and claimed in the patent to Charles F. Kettering and lVilliam A. Chryst, No. 1,341,327, dated May 25, 1920. It will be understood, however, that this is not intended as'a limitation, but is simply selected for purposes of illustration.

The numeral 20 indicates the engine of the above mentioned power unit, and this particular. type of engine is of the air- ,cooled type, being provided'with a casing 21 spaced apart from the engine cylinder 22, said casing having a communicating opening with the flywheel. chamber 23. The flywheel 24, which is mounted in the usual manner upon the crank shaft of the engine, not

only functions as a balance wheel but is pro' vided with a series of peripheral blades 25, which, combined with certain radial blades not shown in the present drawing, permit this flywheel to function as a fan and suck air down through the space between the engine cylinder 22 and the casing 21. The

a air, which is drawn through the above mentioned space, tends to act as a cooling agent relative to theengi'ne and is discharged by the flywheel after it has performed its 0001- ing function.

It will be apparent, however, that a flywheel of this type, which is provided with peripheral openings and peripheral blades, may cause injury'to the attendant or operator of the engine, and it is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide an enveloping guard which will effectually preventthe attendant from being injured by coming in contact with any portionvof the flywheel and at the same time will not interfere with the functioning of the flywheel either as a fan or as a balance whel. This guard is designated by the numeral 26 and comprises a casing including an end plate 27 anda cylindrical portion 28 which is adapted to surround the tread or periphery of the flywheel. In order to effectually inclosg the flywheel, the extremity of the cylindrical portion v 28' is bent inwardly as at 29 and lies adjacent to the inner portion 30 of the flywheel 24.

From the above description it will be apparent that this guard forms a casing about E the flywheel and will effectually prevent anyone from coming inocontact inadvertently with the flywheel.

In order to permit the discharge of the air by the flywheel functioning as a fan, the a cylindrical portion 28 of the guard is provided with a series of openin s 31 which lie in direct alinement with the peripheral blades of the flywheel and the openings therebetween. In order toassist in the discharge of the air through these openings 31, a deflecting or ejector plate or blade 32-is secured to the cylindrical portion of the guard adjacent to each of the openings 31. The. free end of each of these ejector blades 32 lies in close proximity to the peripheral.

- blades of the flywheel and assists in the rapid the flywheel functioning as a fan.

discharge of the air which is forced out by I to the base 35-of the engine or to an adjacent support. I

In 2 of the drawing, the ejector blades or plates 32 are shown as being integrally secured to the cylindrical portion of the guard. In this particular form of the invention, the guard is punched or cut away on three sides and the cut-away poradapter tion ofthe guard is then depressed and, so formed as to provide-the ejector blades as shown in Fig. 2. It-will be apparent, however, that, these blades may be readily replaced with an independeht plate which can be secured rtojthe cylindrical portion of the casing in any desired manner.-

The arrow 39in Fig. 2 indicates the direction of rotation of the flywheel, and conseouently the direction in which the air is discharged by the; flywheel functioning as a fan. It will of course be understood that the angle at which the ejector blades are positioned or headed into the current of discharging air is such as will give the greatest efficiency, and as will offer the least resistance to the normal flow of the current of air discharging through the ventilating openin of the guard.

ile the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred embodiment of one form-of the invention, it is to be understood that other-forms might be adopted,and various changesand altera ti'ons made in the shape, size, and proportions of the elements therein without de- 1. In a device of the character described,

"the combination with a rotating element having a periphery adapted to function as a an and having peripheral blades, of a guard for said rotating element including an end plate having a cylindrical portion to lie concentric with the periphno moving element, said cylindrical ery of flywheel to function as a fan; of a ripheral fan blades which will enable said guard including an end portion and a cylindrical portion, said flywheel lying concentric relative to said cylindrical portion, said cylindrical portion being provided with a plurality of openings directly in alinement with the peripheral fan blades of the flywheel.

3. In aidevice of the character described,

the combination with a flywheel having fan blades which will enable said flywheel to function as a fan; of guard nieans'includ ing side and peripheral portions forenclosing said flywheel. one of said portions being provided with "a plurality of openings in the direct path of the air currents and arranged to permit the passage of said 'aircurrents freely and without substantial deflection. I

,4. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a flywheel having fan bladeswhiclrwill enablej'said flywheel t0 function as a fan; of guard means having a portion adjacent said'flywheel provided with a plurality of openings in the direct path of the air currents and having inwardly extending blades adjacent said openings, said openings and blades being arranged to permit the passage of said air currents freely and without substantial deflection.

5, Ina guard for fan elements of ma; chines, the combination with a fan element having fan blades; of a guard for said fan element comprising a hollow cylinder closed at one end and open at the other and arranged concentrically with respect to the fan, and having its cylindrical wall provided with openings .in substantial alignment with the fan'blades, and having its open end constructed and arranged so as to permit withdrawal of the guard from the fan.

6. A guard for movable elements which agitate the airinto currents, comprising an enveloping guardjportion having ventilating openings therein;-'and blades adjacent the openings and substantially, parallel with the direction of flow of the air currents. 1 1

7 A guard for rotary elements which agitate the air centrifugally into currents,

comprising an enveloping guard portion having ventilating openings therein about the periphery of the rotary element; and

blades adjacent the openings and substanthe direction of flow chines, the combination with a centrifugal fan element for discharging air currents; of an enveloping guard portion around the fan element, the guard portion being provided with.ventilating openings therein in the direct path of the dischargingair currents, whereby the discharge of the air currents will be in the plane of the fanelement.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, an engine having a crank case and a crank shaft; engine cooling means including a flywheel fan mounted on the crank shaft adjacent said crank case; and means cooperating with said crank case to house said flywheel fan, said means having openings therein in thedirect path of the air currents from said flywheel fan and arranged to permit the .free passage of air currents therefrom.

10. In a device of the character described. in combination, an engine having a crank case and a crank shaft; engine cooling means a flywheel mounted on the crank shaft adj acent the crank case and having peripheral fan blades; and means carried by the engine and cooperating with the crank case adapted to house said flywheel, said means having openings in the direct path of the air currents from said fan blades and arranged to permit the passage of said air currents freely and without substantial defiection.

means including a peripheral discharge fan mounted on the crank shaft; and means cooperating with said crank case to house said flywheel fan, said means having openings therein in the direct path of the'air currents discharged from the fan whereby the discharge of the air-currents will be in the plane of the fan element.

12. In a device of the class-described and in combination with an engine having a crank shaft, engine cooling. means including a casing supported by the engine and surrounding the cylinder thereof; a fly wheel fan mounted on the crankshaft adjacent the engine and adapted to induce a flow of air through said casing, and to discharge 'the same into the surrounding atmosphere; and means cooperating with the engine to house said fly wheel fan, said means having openings therein to direct the air currents from said fly wheel fan and permit the free passage of air therefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- CHARLES F. KETTERING. Witnesses:

WALTER W. RIEDEL, RALPH SNYDER. 

